X-Statix Presents: Deadgirl #1

It ain't easy being Strange! Doctor Stephen Strange, that is. Doc has a lot of responsibility, what with being the Sorcerer Supreme and all. I mean, he has to protect a whole plane of existence all by himself! Sure, he's got Wong hanging around, but Wong really just does the laundry and keeps the good Doctor fed. And what does a manly guy like Strange eat to give him the strength to shoulder his awesome duties? Apparently, green tea and dry cookies. EXTRA-dry cookies. Yum!

In X-Statix Presents: Deadgirl #1, Doctor Strange finds himself in a bit of a rut. He is pretty depressed about the lonely life he lives and the burdens he has to bear. His hemorrhoids are acting up, he has suddenly realised that he uses the word "suffice" far too much, and he is living on a diet of dry cookies. So, when he first notices that something funny is going on in the depths of Hell, his reaction is a resounding "whatever."

Of course, ignoring funny business in Hell is usually not a good idea. Strange soon finds himself entering into negotiations with a bunch of dead super-villains, along with a dead hero or two, who have decided that being dead pretty much stinks. They manage to get themselves a day pass back to the land of the living where they can enjoy some ribs, and maybe chase a man down and watch him choke to death on his own vomit. Ah, the fun villains have.

Admittedly, Deadgirl #1 doesn't actually have much to do with Deadgirl, but she seems to be on the way next issue. She's busy hanging in the afterlife with Gwen Stacy and Mockingbird. This limited series, by Peter Milligan, Nick Dragotta and Mike Allred, clearly has it's tongue firmly in cheek. It offers a great perspective on what it means to be a villain in the Marvel Universe (Lots of painful beatings!), and shows that even someone as cool as Doctor Strange gets depressed about life sometimes.

If these dead folks can drag themselves up from the depths of Hell for this story, the least you can do is drag yourself over to Four Color Fantasies to buy this guaranteed Book of the Week. Why not go nuts and spoil yourself with some extra-weak tea, some really dry cookies and a fun new comic to read? A little indulgence can be a good thing!